2 Mar 2016

American Samoa zika cases increase

8:25 am on 2 March 2016

Two more pregnant women are confirmed to have zika in American Samoa.

This brings to ten the number of confirmed cases in the territory, three of them pregnant women.

271 people are suspected to have the virus - linked to birth defects in new borns - with tests still underway.

Another village clean up is being held in the villages of Leone, Ili'ili and Tafuna which have the highest number of suspected zika cases.

The authorities are clearing the villages of junk like rubbish, unused appliances and roofing iron.

They want to get rid of potential breeding zones for the mosquitoes which carry the virus.

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